Ophthalmic curette

Abstract

In one embodiment, an ophthalmic curette device includes a handle having a distal end, a tube having a proximal end connected to the distal end of the handle, and having a distal end, and configured to be inserted through a cataract incision into a chamber of an eye of a living subject, and a pressure sensor disposed inside the tube at the distal end of the tube, and configured to provide a signal responsively to pressure inside the chamber of the eye.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ophthalmic curette device, comprising:
 a handle having a distal end;   a tube having a proximal end connected to the distal end of the handle, and having a distal end, and configured to be inserted through an incision into an eye; and   a pressure sensor disposed inside the tube at the distal end of the tube, and configured to provide a signal responsively to intraocular pressure inside the eye.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the tube is a metal tube. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the tube is a polymer tube. 
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor disposed inside the tube at the distal end of the tube and configured to provide a signal responsively to a temperature inside the chamber of the eye. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a magnetic position sensor disposed inside the tube. 
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 5 , wherein the magnetic position sensor includes at least one coil. 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the tube has a minimum length of 2 cm. 
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 7 , wherein the tube has an outer diameter between 0.4 mm and 0.8 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 8 , wherein the tube has a wall thickness between 0.03 mm and 0.2 mm. 
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a loop or hook connected to the distal end of the tube. 
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a processor configured to compute a pressure value responsively to the signal provided by the pressure sensor; and   a display configured to render the pressure value.   
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 the processor is disposed in the handle; and   the display is disposed on the handle.   
     
     
         13 . An ophthalmic curette device, comprising:
 a handle having a distal end;   a tube having a proximal end connected to the distal end of the handle, and having a distal end, and configured to be inserted through an incision into an eye; and   a temperature sensor disposed inside the tube at the distal end of the tube and configured to provide a signal responsively to a temperature inside the eye.   
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 13 , wherein the tube is a metal tube. 
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 13 , wherein the tube is a polymer tube. 
     
     
         16 . The device according to  claim 13 , further comprising a magnetic position sensor disposed inside the tube. 
     
     
         17 . The device according to  claim 15 , wherein the magnetic position sensor includes at least one coil. 
     
     
         18 . The device according to  claim 13 , wherein the tube has a minimum length of 2 cm. 
     
     
         19 . The device according to  claim 18 , wherein the tube has an outer diameter between 0.4 mm and 0.8 mm. 
     
     
         20 . The device according to  claim 19 , wherein the tube has a wall thickness between 0.03 mm and 0.2 mm. 
     
     
         21 . The device according to  claim 13 , further comprising a loop or hook connected to the distal end of the tube. 
     
     
         22 . The device according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a processor configured to compute a temperature value responsively to the signal provided by the temperature sensor; and   a display configured to render the temperature value.   
     
     
         23 . The device according to  claim 22 , wherein:
 the processor is disposed in the handle; and   the display is disposed on the handle.